Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has emphasized that negotiations with the United States regarding trade are solely the responsibility of the federal government. This statement comes in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's recent decision to increase tariffs on Canadian goods by an additional 10 percent, which was partly triggered by a controversial television ad from Ontario.

The ad, which aired on U.S. networks including during World Series broadcasts, featured excerpts from a 1987 speech by former President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs. Trump reacted strongly, labeling the ad as "FAKE" and a "serious misrepresentation of the facts." Following this backlash, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that his government would pause the ad campaign in hopes of resuming trade discussions.

In a social media post, Canadian cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc reiterated that discussions with the U.S. are the federal government's responsibility. Carney, speaking to reporters in Malaysia, reinforced this point, stating that negotiations with the White House are the "sole responsibility of the government of Canada" and that this approach is the "best way forward."

While some provincial leaders have criticized Ford's ad campaign, others have praised it for its direct approach to engaging U.S. policymakers. They argue that the strong reaction from Trump indicates the ad's effectiveness. Meanwhile, British Columbia is launching its own digital ad campaign to address rising U.S. forestry tariffs, highlighting that U.S. taxes on Canadian lumber are now higher than those on Russian lumber.

Ravi Parmar, B.C.'s minister of forests, described the tariffs as "a tax on middle-class Americans" who rely on Canadian lumber for construction. He stated, "You have a president of the United States that is having a trade temper tantrum every other day and threatening tariffs. We have to stand up to a bully; we can’t back down."

Currently, Canadian softwood lumber faces levies of approximately 45 percent from the U.S. Parmar noted that Carney has not mentioned any progress on forestry issues in his recent comments, prompting British Columbia to elevate the topic in discussions.

Conversely, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith expressed support for Ontario's decision to suspend its ad campaign, advocating for consistent diplomacy to resolve tariff issues. She urged the federal government to continue negotiations to restore a fair trade agreement with the U.S.

As Carney and Trump attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia, Carney aims to strengthen trade relationships with Asian countries while also seeking to restart discussions with the U.S. Brian Clow, a former senior aide to ex-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, suggested that with the Ontario ad being withdrawn, Carney has an opportunity to engage with Trump and ease tensions. He stated, "We do need to get the talks back on track because steel, aluminum, lumber, autos, they’re all suffering badly — and unfortunately waiting it out means those industries are going to suffer and we’re going to see more job losses."